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===Programmability===
Programmable [[vertex]] and fragment [[shaders]] were added to the graphics pipeline to enable game programmers to generate even more realistic effects. Vertex shaders allow the programmer to alter per-vertex attributes, such as position, color, texture coordinates, and normal vector. Fragment shaders are used to calculate the color of a [[Fragment (computer graphics)|fragment]], or per-pixel. Programmable fragment shaders allow the programmer to substitute, for example, a lighting model other than those provided by default by the graphics card, typically simple [[Gouraud shading]]. Shaders have enabled graphics programmers to create lens effects, [[displacement mapping]], and [[depth of field]].
The programmability of the pipelines have trended according the Microsoft’s [[DirectX]] specification, with DirectX8 introducing Shader Model 1.1, DirectX8.1 Pixel Shader Models 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4, and DirectX9 defining Shader Model 2.x and 3.0. Each shader model increased the programming model flexibilities and capabilities, ensuring the conforming hardware follows suit. The DirectX10 specification unifies the programming specification for vertex, geometry (“Geometry Shaders” are new to DirectX10) and fragment processing allowing for a better fit for unified shader hardware, thus providing a single pool of computational pool of programmable resource.
===Data types===
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